Steering-rod connection.



No. 885,878.' PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

, J; P. SK'IRROW. STEERING ROD CONNECTION.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 4, 190 7.

y g1 J/ MEA/mk ATTORNEYS unrrsnsmrns PATE T (met.

f tters. SKIRBDW, OFEAST ORANGE, NEWJERSEY.

. Specification 1 Letters Patent.

l" STEERING-RODOQN E Patented'np'ril as, 1908.

g i Application filed-November 4, 190%. I Serial No. 400,476:

a known-that I, JoH1vi.E;- Sm1zow,a; citizenof the United States, residingtat East Qrange,'in the county of 'Essejx,-State of New "TqaZZ-ttihoqrt it concern;

*Jersey, have invented certainnewand "useful "Improvements 1n Steering-Rod Connections,

' .of which the following is a specification, ref

-' to; Fig. 2 a transverse sectiona isteering rod taken on the line IIII of Fig:

erence being had therein to the accompany- .draw1ng, ,m which- H 1 re 1 1s a side elevation showing a steering crank connected to one end of a steering rod with my invention applied there-Y view of the 1 Fig. 3 a detail plan viewjiofthe elamp j which is adapted to be secured 'to the steersteering knuckles ing'crank'; and Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. 2,

showing a slightly 'difierent form of steering crank; Fig..5 -a -longitudina1 verticatsem tionalview of the deviceshown in Fig; -1

I It-is common knowledge that agreatman automobile-accidents are the results of-fai I -'s'teering.crank or 'to the steeringzknuckle in. suchmanner thatthere can be no accidental .se aration or disconnection .of said parts,

w He at the'same time .allowingthe requisite flexibility between said parts} j Another objectofthe invention is to-provide such-asafety-device which willserve as a means for holding the connected parts-in close engagement to prevent unnecessary vibration and the consequent'noishhd wearand tear.

Referring to the various partsi'b'yiniimer;

ale, 1- designates the steermgficrankwhich may be connected to the steering wheeland operated through said wheel in any suitable manner. This steering crank is provided at its free end with a bearing -ballg2i which is adapted to enter a slot 3 formed inthetubu-Z "arranged the bearing blocks 5, client which es the ball on each side. Within: the

B c tu ar endnf the steering-rod and bearm against the bear-in blocks are slpring's Gwhic l serve tolhold the k 'ga'gementwith the ball 2. v A screw plug 7 is caring bloc s in close en? .terial' separation thereof. seen that thefiexible coil-spring will permit the steering-crank to be moved with respect the ends of t e bearing -b at first until thepressure is sufficient to cause which the tension of the springs and their pressure on the blocks may be regulated. In this form of the steering rod connection it is evident that should the springs fail to work and the blocks be permitted to separate there is nothing to prevent the steering rod dropping down from the ball of-the steering crankf and-it isthe object of this invention to provideade uatemeans to hold the steering crankan the steering rod in close enga ement while at the same time permitting t e 'orank to have a certain amount of movement with respect to ,the' steering rod, without binding. -Thissafety device consists of a flexible coil spring 8 connected at itsends to provided in the end of the steering rod by the steeringcrank above the steering rod and extending around under the rod, as'shown clearly in Fig.

7 2'. :As' a convenient means for connectln t e, ends'of thesprin to the steering crank provide a clamp9 w 'ch is adaritedito be connected to .the steering crank means of thescrews 10. On this clamp are formed diametrically opposite lugs 11 to which are connected theends of the retaining spring.;'.The"clamp 9 is so located on the under a tensionso as to constantly. draw the steering rod and the steering crank'toward each other.

permit the ball 2 to slip from between them steering crank that the spring 8 will be held It'will thus be seen that should 'the' bearing blocks separate sufiiciently to.

the coil spring 8 will hold the steering crank and the rod together and prevent any nia- It, is also to be to" the steering rod.

' :It is obvious that when-power is applied to-thesteerin crank thes rings, engagin l ocks, will yiel the steering rod to move with the steering :crank and the flexible retainer or'safety device must be of such construction that it will permit the steering crank to move longitudinally with respect to the steering red. It is I also to be notedthat the coil spring retainer .larend ofthe steering rod 4. Within-the;

steering rod on each side of. the bal1;2 are will hold the steering rod in close contact with the steering crankand thereby prevent tegral lugs formed'on the sides of the steering crank; As shown in this view the steering crank is formed with lugs 12 having the threaded extensions 13 and the ends of the coil spring are secured in place by means of the washers 14 and nuts 15.,

'It will, of course, be understood that many forms of fastening devices may be used to connect the .ends of the flexible retainer to the steering crank, those shown being merely by way of illustration and with no intention 0 limiting myself to any precise forms or devices. 7

I desire itunderstood that this flexible retaining device may be employed wherever a ball and socket construction is used to connect a crank end with a. rod or bar and I do not desire to be limited to the precise use of the device shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is r 1 A steering rod connection comprising 5 two members one of which is formed with a ball and the other with a socket to receive said ball, yieldable means within the socket to retain' the ball member therein, a yieldable retainer connected to the ball-carrying member and extending around the socket member whereby the twomembers will be held yieldingly together and said members -may have a movement with respect to each other.

2. A steering rod connection comprising two members one of said members being formed with aball and the other with a socket to receive said ball, means for yield' ably holding said ball in said socket and per mitting it-to have a longitudinal movement there n, and a spring retainer connected to the ball-carrying member and extending two members one of said members being around the socket member and serving to draw said two members toward each other while atthe same time permitting the ballcarrying member to have a longitudinal movement in the socket member.

3. A steering rod connection comprising formed with a ball or enlargement and 'one with a socket to receive said ball, yieldable means within the socket to permit longitudinal movement of the ball therein, a coil spring connected at its ends on opposite sides of the ball-carrying member and extending socket member to the ball-carrying member while at the same time permitting an independent movement of the ball-carrying mem ber in the socket member.

4. A steering rod connection comprising two members one of said members being formed with a ball or enlargement and one with a socket to receive said ball, yieldable means within the socketto permit longitudinal movement oi the ball therein, a coil spring connected at its ends on opposite sides of the ball-carrying member and extending around the socket member and serving to draw said members toward each other whereby said spring will serve to hold the socket member to the ball-carrying member while at the same time permitting alrindependent movement of the ball-carrying member in the socket member, and means for detachably connecting the ends of said spring to the ball-carrying member,

5. A steering rod connection comprising two members, one of which is formed with a ball and the. other with a socket to receive said ball, a yieldable retainer connected to the ballcarrying member and extending around the socketmembcr, whereby the two members will be yieldingly held together and said members will have a movement with re spect to each other.

6, A ball and socket joint comprising a part having a ball thereon, a part having a socket to receive said ball, and a spring 1'etaining device connected to the ballearrying part and forming a loop around the socket part and yieldingly holding the two parts in working relation while permitting the socket part to move through said yieldin device.

in testimony whereof I hereunto allix my JOHN F. SKIRROW.

Witnesses:

F. A. NORMAN,

THEODORE L. CUYLER, Jr. 

